Oman is planning to increase its non-oil exports to African markets in a bid to decrease its over dependency on crude generated revenue, Times of Oman quotes a senior official at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) saying.

Apart from oil, the middle eastern country exports steel products, polypropylene, food, marble and stone products to countries like Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania on the east coast of Africa. Oman has deep historical linkages with these countries and it is credit with the development of the Swahili language in these region.

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, Oman’s non-oil exports increased 5.9 percent to a total $9.9 billion in 2013, compared to the $9.35 billion it registered in 2012. Re-exported commodities increased significantly by 42.4 per cent, reaching a total value of $9.21 billion by the end of 2013.

“At the moment we are highly dependent on oil exports, but the strategy of the government and the private sector is to diversify the economy. So we are trying to identify new markets,” Mohammed Ali Al Saleh, vice-chairman (Administration and Finance Affairs) of the OCCI, told Times of Oman.

“There is great potential for exports to Africa which should be utilized,” he said. “We have held meetings with officials of a number of African countries, including Tanzania and Kenya. Some delegations went there last year. We are seriously considering more exports to Africa.”

Al Saleh also noted that Oman was targeting other Asian countries like the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries including Pakistan, India, Iraq, China, Indonesia, and some European countries.

With increased focus on the African markets and the neighboring Arab countries, the Oman Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Paiped) has set a target of 15 per cent growth in non-oil exports in 2014, Albawaba reported.